Victimology

 The branch of criminology that scientifically studies the relationship

between an injured party and an offender by examining the causes and
the nature of the consequent suffering.
 It focuses on whether the perpetrators were complete strangers, mere
acquaintances, friends, family members, or even intimates and why a
particular person was targeted.
 Criminal victimization may inflict economic costs, physical injuries and
psychological harm.
Criminal victims
 Could be key actors in the criminal justice process.
 Becomes the FORGOTTEN PERSON of the CJS while the criminal is
the celebrity.
 Victims are only valued for their capacity to report crimes and to appear
in court as witnesses.
Victim Blaming
 A phenomenon where the victims of crimes are held accountable for
what happened to them.
 It allows people to believe that such events could never happen to them.
Benjamin Mendelsohn
 He believes that most victims had an “unconscious aptitude for being
victimized”.
 He coined the term victimology.
Hans Von Hentig
 He wrote an article about the victim – criminal interaction.
Theories Of Victimization
1. Victim Precipitation. The person who suffers eventual harm from a crime
plays a direct role in causing the crime to be perpetrated. It occurs when the
offender’s action is committing or beginning to commit a crime is initiated after
and directly related to an action (be it physical, verbal, conscious
or unconscious) on the part of the victim.
     a. Active Precipitation. Occurs when victim acts provocatively, use threats
or fighting words, or even attack first. When female victims dress
provocatively or pursuing relationships with a rapist.
     b.Passive Precipitation. Occurs when the victims exhibit some personal
characteristics that unknowingly either threatens or encourages the
attacker. The crime can occur because of personal conflict - when two people
compete for a job, promotions, love interests
2. Lifestyle or Exposure Theory.  Victimization depends heavily upon the
concept of life style.  Victims put themselves in danger by engaging in high-
risk activities.
3. Routine Activities Theory.  Developed by Marcus Felson and Lawrence
Cohen. A pool of motivated offenders exists, and these offenders will take
advantage of unguarded, suitable targets.
Elements:
a. A likely offender
b. A suitable target
c. The absence of a capable guardian
4. Deviant Place Theory.  Victims are prone to victimization because one
resides in a socially disorganized high-crime area.  Deviant places include
poor densely populated area, highly transient neighborhoods, and commercial
areas with residential property in close proximity.
General Classes of Victims (Based on the classification of Hans Von Hentig)
1. The Young - the weak by virtue and immaturity
2. The Female – often less physically powerful and easily dominated by
males.
3. The Old – the incapable of Physical defense and the common object of
confidence scheme.
4. The Mentally Defective – those that are unable to think clearly.
5. The Immigrant – those that are unsure of the rules of conduct in the
surrounding society.
6. The Minorities – racial prejudice may lead to victimization or unequal
treatment by the agency of justice.
Psychological Types of Victims
1. The Depressed – submissive person by virtue of emotional condition
2. The Acquisitive or Greedy – person who wants more than what is sufficient
makes a natural victim of crime.
3. The Wanton or Overly Sensual - a person ruled by passion and
thoughtlessly seeking pleasure.
4. The Lonesome – person who eventually becomes a victim by virtue of
wanting companionship or affection
5. The Heartbroken – one who is emotionally disturbed by virtue of heartaches
and pains.
6. The Tormented – a victim who asked for it, often from his own family or
friend.
Other Types of Victims
     Benjamin Mendelsohn, a European defense attorney created his own
classification of victim types. This includes the following six categories:
1. The completely innocent victim – such a person is an ideal victim in popular
perception. In this category placed persons victimized while they were
unconscious, and the child victims.
2. Victims with only minor guilt and those victimized due to ignorance.
3. The victim who guiltier than the offender – this category was described as
containing persons who provoked the criminal or actively induced their own
victimization.
4. The most guilty victim “who is guilty alone” – an attacker killed by a would
be victim in the act of defending themselves were placed in this category.
5. The imaginary victim – those suffering from mental disorders, or those
victims due to extreme mental abnormalities.
PENAL COUPLE
 Penal Couple is a term that describes the relationship between the
victim and the criminal.
VICTIMAL
 Describes the victim, counterpart of criminal.
VICTIMITY
 It signified the opposite of criminality.
LOSER
  One who is initially the attacker but later, the situation is reversed.
Dynamics of Victimization
A. Victims of Crime Model (by Bard and Sangrey). According to this model,
there are three stages involved in any victimization.
1. Stage of Impact and Disorganization - during and immediately following the
criminal event.
2. Stage of Recoil – during which the victim formulates psychological
defenses and deals with conflicting emotions of guilt, anger, acceptance and
desire of revenge (3-8mon).
3. Reorganization Stage – during which the victim puts his or her life back to
normal daily living.*Some victims, however may not successfully adopt the
victimization experience and a maladaptive reorganization stage may last for
many years.
B. Disaster Victim’s Model This model was developed to explain the coping
behavior of victims of natural disaster. According to this model, there are four
stages of victimization:
1. Pre-impact – the stage which describes the victim’s condition prior to
being victimized.
2. Impact – the stage at which victimization occurs.
3. Post-impact – the stage which entails the degree and duration of personal
and social disorganization following victimization.
4. Behavioral Outcome – the stage that describes the victim’s adjustment to
the victimization experience.
Factors of Victimization
1. Hedonism
2. Materialistic Culture
3. Sex Values
4. Decay of discipline
5. Public morality
Other factors of Victimization:
1. Provocation
2. Instigation – encourage a criminal to take action
3. Facilitation – victim places himself at risk
4. Vulnerability or invitation
5. Cooperation – victim is a party to a consensual crime (public order crime)
6. Attractiveness
7. Impunity – victim did not report the crime
Republic Act No. 7309 - Otherwise referred to as the Victim Compensation
Program.